THE EFFECTS OF TAXOL (PACLITAXEL) ON CHEMILUMINESCENCE OF NEUTROPHILS, MACROPHAGES AND J.774.2 CELL-LINE

Taxol (paclitaxel) is a chemotherapeutic diterpene with promising anti cancer activity that blocks cell division by preventing microtubule de polymerization. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that taxol has other intracellular effects that may contribute to its effect, particu larly in macrophages. The signal transduction mechanisms by which taxo l stimulates macrophages to anticancer activity are not clear. The pur pose of this study was to determine the effect of taxol on chemilumine scence (an indicator of the production of free radicals) of neutrophil s, macrophages and murine macrophage J.774.2 cells. The chemiluminesce nce was measured in the presence of taxol and/or phorbol myristate ace tate (PMA) as a stimulant. Taxol stimulated chemiluminescence (without PMA) of neutrophils and macrophages but not of J.774.2 cells, and mod ulated chemiluminescence of the cells stimulated with PMA.